PUBLISHING NEW WOMEN POETS SINCE 1997
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Read our year-end appeal letter below:
Dear Friends of Perugia Press,
We want our donors to know about one of the important new decisions we made toward becoming a more diverse and equitable organization. This decision has to do with submission fees for our annual contest—one of the main sources of income for the press.
First, in 2020, we started collecting demographic information (optionally and anonymously) from the poets who submit their manuscripts for consideration. This gave us a sense of who was even interested in becoming a Perugia Press poet.
The results didn’t satisfy us, so in 2021, we have instituted contest fee options. Now, poets can opt for (1) full-rate, which includes a complimentary book, (2) reduced-rate, or (3) fee-free, available to Black, Indigenous, and women of color poets. We consider this a reparation and not an assumption of financial need. Our intention is to offer to repay BIWOC poets for the extra time and energy it takes to navigate systemic racism in the publishing industry.
The results are heartening! We have successfully encouraged more poets of color to enter our contest, which will lead to more poets of color on our list of authors, readers for our contest, participants in events we produce, and on our board of directors.
If this success in removing barriers feels important to you too, we hope you’ll help us balance the good news with the downside, which is a loss of income. Submission fees are integral to our operations and go directly toward the mission and work of our nonprofit press.
Please give us your vote of confidence and help us keep submissions more accessible for all by making a generous donation to Perugia Press so we can continue to offer fee options.
Gratefully,
Susan Kan, Founder and President of the Board of Directors
Rebecca Olander, Director/Editor
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* Another Way to Support the Press *
Are you a Florence Bank customer? Florence Bank is donating $100,000 again this year to local non-profit organizations in their Annual Customers' Choice Community Grants Program, and account holders decide who gets the money! Please consider voting for Perugia Press this year BY DECEMBER 31. It takes just a moment to vote, and nonprofits with at least 50 votes get a share.
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* Rebecca Pelky & Gwendolyn Paradice Reading *
Clockwise from top left: Gwendolyn Paradice, Rebecca Hart Olander, and Rebecca Pelky. Here's the link to watch
the recording (passcode: ?PI72f=W) of this Native American Heritage Month event we held on November 18.
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"The Story of My Book"
Corrie Williamson on Sweet Husk
Check out our blog series called "The Story of My Book," chronicling
some of Perugia Press's collections through the words of their authors.
The latest post features Corrie Williamson on Sweet Husk, spending a summer on an archaeological survey in New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon,
living off-grid in a remote cabin during her fellowship at the PEN Northwest/Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency, and more.
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* Gateway City Arts Holiday Book Fair & Readings *
Perugia poet Janet Aalfs performing
Editor/Director Rebecca Hart Olander at our table
Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the season with writing, art & community on December 11. We're grateful to organizer Paul Richmond of Human Error Publishing
and the Gateway City Arts folx for hosting the event!
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PERUGIA PRESS
PO Box 60364, Florence, MA 01062
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